Dentifrice applicator



Sept. 4, 1956 G. CONNOLLY DENTIFRICE APPLICATOR Filed Feb. 4. 1954 Fig. 3

fieorge Coma/W INVENTOR.

DENTIFRICE APPLICATOR George Connolly, Alvin, Tex. Application February 4, 1954, Serial No. 408,224 1 Claim. (Cl. 15-244) This invention relates to a ready-to-use throw-awaytype dentifrice applicator the preferred embodiment of which has to do with a simple and economical and practical pad, which is to be conveniently held in the users fingers and through the medium of which tooth cleaning paste or the like may be aptly and amply applied and advantageously used.

In carrying out a preferred embodiment of the invention a pad of compressibly resilient material, for example, an appropriate plastic or equivalent sponge, is utilized, the same having opposed flaps which may be conformably applied to the inner and outer surfaces of the users teeth, the inner surfaces of the flaps having the dentifrice compound impregnated or otherwise incorporated therein and a portion of the pad being fashioned into an appropriate finger-grip whereby the user may expeditiously carry out the wiping and rubbing steps in a highly practical and satisfactory manner, after which in most instances, the pad, being intended for a single use, is discarded.

In carrying out the aims intended, I have evolved and produced an article of manufacture which is structurally distinct in shape, manner of use and effect, and permits appropriate manipulation with the thumb and the fingers, the applicator flaps serving to clean the front and back surfaces of the teeth simultaneously and handily.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sponge rubber or equivalent dentifrice impregnated flap-equipped pad to be held in the fingers which is instantly ready for use, requires no folding or bending or wrapping around ones fingers, will conform during use to teeth irregularities and is suificiently conformable that it satisfactorily wipes and cleans teeth surfaces heretofore inaccessible to certain competitive pads which have been tried, the construction being such that no special tabs or gripping elements are required.

Then too, novelty is predicated on a pad of the stated type in which there is no danger of threads or lint due to the fact that foam rubber or an equivalent plastic sponge material is utilized, the pad being such that it does not become soggy and therefore retains its original shape because of the inherent compressibly resilient properties embodied therein, a pad which lends itself to convenient individual wrapping or sale in protective boxes or cartons making it unnecessary for guests to bring a toothbrush or tube of tooth paste as is customarily the practice now in vogue.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dental pad or dentifrice applicator pad constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an edge elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a view in section and elevation showing the pad in the manner in which the same is applied and used.

Figure 4 is a central vertical sectional view observing the dentifrice-impregnated surface of one of the aforementioned fiexible compressibly resilient flaps. I

Referring now to the drawings by way of reference numerals, the device, in a unitary or article sense, comprises what is conveniently referred to as a handy, throwaway-type pad, said pad being flexible, compressibly resilient, and preferably constructed of sponge rubber. The pad is relatively small and is adapted to be wiped simultaneously across the interior and exterior surfaces of the teeth in the manner shown, for example, in Figure 3. Here the numeral 6 designates a tooth and 8 the gum. The pad although it may be of some other shape is preferably heart-shaped and is referred to generally by the numeral 10. Consequently, the pad is in effect, a small heart-shaped sponge. The pointed or apical end is 12 and this is solid as shown in Figure 4 and constitutes a hand finger-grip, as is obvious. The main body portion is slit and thus bifurcated and the furcations define a pair of flaps which are conveniently denoted by the numerals 14 and 16. The flaps are each the same in shape and are adapted to be spread apart so that their opposed inner surfaces are in wiping and cleaning contact with the users teeth. These inner surfaces are impregnated with appropriate cleansing media which is here referred to as a suitable dentifrice 18 which is normally dry but is rendered active when subjected to water, saliva, or similar moisture. Not only is heartshaped configuration distinctive from a standpoint of general appearance and appeal, it is actually a shape which is handily utilized to best advantage.

The lobe-shaped portions. of the respective flaps lend themselves nicely to the gums and do not oifer obstructions or unnecessary objectionable surfaces and corners. Thus, the pad may be said to comprise a compressibly resilient heart-shaped or equivalent sponge with flaps having dentifrice applied and ready for use by any appropriate method. It may be within the purview of the concept to assume that a pad having openable and closable compressibly resilient flaps of a porous material capable of being wetted, then toothpaste from the tube applied, is within the sphere of the invention. The claim, of course, is worded accordingly. In any event the device may be taken with the thumb and fingers and rubbed vigorously across the teeth and gums, cleansing and polishing the back teeth simultaneously and then discarded after use. It is ideal for use in factories, work shops, offices, rest rooms and the like.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A throw-aWay-type dentifrice applicator through the medium of which a user thereof may handily and micetually clean the exterior and interior surfaces of his teeth simultaneously and, if desired, massage his gums as well, comprising a sponge rubber pad which is heart-shaped in configuration and has its main faces flat and is rela-{ tively Wide and includes lobe-like portions at one end, the apical end portion at the other end of said pad being solid, the intermediate and lobe-equipped end portions of said pad being bifurcated and providing furcations, said furcations, in turn, providing a pair of wiping flaps, the opposed interior surfaces of said flaps being substantially flat and adapted to be applied, brought into rubbing contact with and otherwise manually manipulated relative to the tooth surfaces, the apical end portion of Patented Sept. 4, 1956 said body providing a convenient grip and serving to aid the user in readily catching hold of and controlling and otherwise applying and utilizing the pad, the opposed interior flat surfaces of said flaps being impregnated with a dentifrice which is normally inactive but is activated to a state of usefulness when moistened with water or saliva or both.

1,577,861 Henry Mar. 23, 1926 4 Haas May 26, 1936 Stall Oct. 10, 1939 Larkin Oct. 17, 1939 Zimmerman June 11, 1940 Boysen May 4, 1943 Leathers Aug. 17, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS Norway Oct. 7, 1940 Great Britain Feb. 6, 1952 France June 29, 1952 

